Exam 1: Earth and Its Atmosphere

The most abundant gases in Earth's atmosphere by volume are ____.

Weather and climate affect human lives in many ways, but the most immediate effect is related to ____.

The layer of the atmosphere that contains all of our weather is the _________________.

Which weather element ALWAYS decreases as we climb upward in the atmosphere?

Earth's atmosphere is divided into named layers based on the vertical profile of ____.

Someone who says that "the wind direction today is south" likely means that the wind is blowing toward the south.

Falling rain and snow is called ____.

The atmosphere protects inhabitants at Earth's ____________________.

Meteorology is the study of ____.

The two most abundant greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are ____________________ and ____________________.

Which of the following is considered a variable gas in Earth's atmosphere?

Any form of water, either liquid or solid (rain or snow), that falls from clouds and reaches the ground is called ____________________.

Atmospheric concentration of CO₂ has increased from below 300 ppm historically to over 400 ppm presently.

Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring component of the atmosphere.

Air molecules are held near Earth through ______________________.

Which atmospheric layer contains the most mixing and overturning of air?

Describe the effect weather can have on human health.

____________________, ____________________, ____________________, and water vapor are the four most abundant gases in today's atmosphere.

What causes air pressure? Why does air pressure decrease with increasing altitude?

The concentration of ____________________ is close to 21 percent (by volume)in the upper stratosphere (the same concentration as in the troposphere), but without proper breathing apparatus you would not be able to survive there.